Gabrielle was the first company to create a Paddington bear for kids and was responsible for giving Paddington his Wellington boots,
Gabrielle Design
Jeremy Clarkson's parents, Shirley and Eddie Clarkson, ran a small design business called Gabrielle Designs. In 1972, Shirley made a prototype for the first Paddington Bear stuffed toy in the house and gave it to Jeremy, then 12, and his sister Joanna for Christmas.
These early bears are now considered collectors' items as all of them were handmade in a small factory, latterly known as the Bear Garden, in Doncaster. However, hardcore Paddington fans may want to go a step further and buy the house in which the toys were first created - it was 2011 on the market.
to boot or not to boot[]
The earliest Paddington Bear toys were dressed in childrens' Dunlop wellies to ensure they stood up straight.
However, Gabrielle designs had to produce their own boots - complete with paw prints moulded into the soles - after Dunlop struggled to keep up. By 1978, Gabrielle Designs were reaching the peak of their demand, having sold 87,000 in that year alone.
Beware the Pirate Paddington Bears[]
The Gabrielle Designs advert against counterfeit Paddingtons in 1975
By 1975, Paddington Bear fever had reached such an intensity that pirate Paddingtons had become a problem. Eddie and Shirley Clarkson issued warning letters, legal correspondence and even an advert in the British Toy Magazine in an attempt to combat imitation bears.
Shirley wrote in her book, Bearly Believable: My Part in the Paddington Bear story: "The problem was widespread. There were little old ladies with arthritis knitting just one bear for the church bazaar on one hand, and on the other hand a large Jack the Lad toy manufacturer in Blackbook dressing cheap fairgound bears in duffle coats with boots made from oil-cloth. We made no distinction".